Ben & Jerry’s newest flavor?

We need intensely committed advocates to push ahead social movements such as animal protection, but sometimes the ideas can be radical.

PETA, according to a KVVU-TV in Las Vegas, sent Ben & Jerry’s a letter asked them to switch from cow milk to human milk in their frozen products. According to an article in Nation’s Restaurant News, the letter stated the move would “lessen the suffering of dairy cows and their babies on factory farms and benefit human health.”

Cofounders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield replied: “We applaud PETA’s novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother’s milk is best used for her child.”

Every time I write a review about veal, rabbits or just about any other meat, I get letters of protest. I’ve come to expect it, and I understand why people are passionate about their views. However, turning everyone vegetarian isn’t feasible, though treating animals we use as food should be humane; and I think passage of Prop 2 is a good start in this direction.

This reminds me of a graphic scene in “Cold Mountain.” A ragged and withered Inman, played by Jude Law, was rescued from a chain gang by Maddy (Eileen Atkins), who kills and skins a goat in front of him. She strokes and pets the goat, cooing about what a good animal he has been. Then she quickly cuts his throat, continuing to pet him as he dies. It was painful to watch, but it got across the idea that taking the goat’s life was necessary to nurse Inman back to health. In effect, the animal was fulfilling a higher purpose, and he was treated with love and respect.